1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wind baffles for convertible automobiles.
2. Prior Art
The present invention relates to a wind baffle which is removably installed behind the front seats of a convertible automobile. The baffle is adjustable for different heights of the seats and is adjustable to different angles to eliminate glare.
A problem that has existed since the introduction of convertible automobiles has been that, as the automobile moves forward, air flows over the windshield and heads of the occupants of the front seat area, thus producing a lower air pressure zone in the front seat area. Consequently, reverse air currents travel between the front seats and headrests, producing turbulence. These reverse air currents can have a number of negative effects on the occupants' driving experience. For example, the hair styles of the occupants are disturbed; the occupants experience difficulty in carrying on a normal conversation; the occupants are chilled on cool days; the occupants' belongings are blown around the front seat area and possibly blown from the front seat compartment of the automobile; and wind roar makes conversation or listening to music quite difficult.
Various attempts have been made to solve the aforementioned problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,481, shows a sheet of rigid, transparent material mounted behind the front seat compartment via an adjustable horizontal rod having ends attachable to the respective inner side body surfaces of the automobile in order to prevent wind currents from passing from the rear of the automobile into the front seat compartment.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,725, shows a substantially vertical rod attached to the above arrangement having one end attachable to the sheet and the other end attachable to the floor or back seat of the automobile in order to further stabilize the sheet while the car is in motion. This vertical rod is adjustable in length in order to make the wind baffle compatible with cars having differing seat heights.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,637, shows a baffle sheet that is removably attachable to the bucket seats or a bench seat of a convertible automobile utilizing straps such as belts for wrapping around a portion of the bucket or bench seats of the automobile. To provide further support during use, the baffle sheet extends downward to the automobile floor and is either permanently or temporarily affixed to the floor of the automobile.
The devices described above, however, have several disadvantages. For example, as the reverse air currents contact the rigid sheet of the first device, the sheet is caused to rotate around the horizontal rod attached to the sheet. As such, the upper portion of the sheet becomes pressed against the headrests of the front seats thereby bothering the occupants of the car. Another disadvantage is that the sheet must be custom-made to fit a specific car. That is, the sheet must to be cut so that the top of the sheet reaches a desired point.
A disadvantage of the second device is that, in view of the multiple parts needed to construct the device, it is costly to manufacture. Moreover, the multiple parts cause the device to be relatively heavy and therefore difficult to maneuver and install.
A disadvantage of the third device is that, since the baffle sheet extends downward to the automobile floor, it is non-adjustable in the vertical direction and therefore cannot be adjusted to be compatible with cars having varying seat heights. Further, as the sheet is typically formed from a transparent plastic material, a glare is often created at night by the lights from the dashboard. However, since the strip is not adjustable and is permanently fixed to the floor of the automobile, the sheet cannot be tilted to eliminate such glare.